VELA Youth Fund

05/15/2026

VELA Youth Fund is most pleased to have had its 10 Year Anniversary Celebration on April 19, 2026 at the Agua Caliente Resorts, in Rancho Mirage, CA.
The event celebrated the work and accomplishments of the 501c3 nonprofit in the U.S., The Caribbean, and in Africa since its inception in April, 2016. For a comprehensive look at charity highlights, please view the youtube link:
https://youtu.be/T4yQ0wvuCSo
The Celebratory Event was festive and informative, and included a delicious dinner, presentations, awards, videos, recognition of major donors, and VELA Youth Fund African Partners. WE feel incredibly blessed to look back on this 10 year journey, and to have had such an impact on the lives of so many young people along the way!

04/28/2026

VELA Youth Fund applauds young people who work hard to do a good job, excel academically in school, and strive to “give back” to their community. One such student is Obdulia Ortega, affectionally called Yami by friends and family, and who has been one of VELA’s Honorarium Awardees during the 2026 academic year. In addition to providing volunteer service; tutoring younger
students at a local elementary school, Yami has managed to maintain a 4.0+ grade point average throughout the school year.
Yami is passionate about helping her younger counterparts, and epitomizes a genuine “giving back” spirit. She is an enthusiastic AVID ( Advancement Via Individual Determination) Student, as she prepares herself for college and career success. Adding to her academic achievements this year, Yami has been recently recognized for being among the "Top Ten" of her class at Coachella Valley High School. The city of Coachella has erected a Billboard to recognize all 10 students in this category. What an Honor!! Yami has accepted an offer to attend University of California, Berkeley where she plans to study public health. Congratulations Yami on this most recent accomplishment! We are so very proud of you!

VELA Youth Fund and The VELA Honorarium Team

03/05/2026

VELA Youth Fund has created a Black and Brown Youth Development Program thats available online free of charge. Check out the video to find out how.

02/16/2026

VELA Youth Fund, Inc is truly honored and blessed to be supporting construction plans and activities with our African Partners in Cameroon and South Africa. We thank God for our great donors who have provided funds for this construction work, for the outstanding teachers and school administrators who serve needy children, and for our Field Representatives Shirley Kgaladi and Mpho Bheki Khumalo, who take care to carefully manage the funds. Together we are changing the lives of many children and families.

It is such a Blessing to see our plans and gifts come to life in the hands and hearts of children in Cameroon. VELA was conceived to bring blessings to children at home and abroad. I will never forget when my wife, Sandra, and I had our DNA traced to Cameroon as our place of heritage! Also I will never forget when we were first blessed to start VELA, and to encounter an Amazing Man named Jean Kalvin Voumdi to be our representative. My unyielding thanks to Kalvin, Pastor Julius, and all the wonderful teachers in Cameroon.

VELA Chairman, Earl Mitchell - Feb 2026

02/16/2026

02/16/2026

VELA Youth Fund and the Voumdi Jean Kalvin Foundation were received by Chief Dr. Dion Ngute, Head of Government of Cameroon, and his Cabinet for their 2026-2027 Action Plan. Everything is great. Thank you, thank you, VELA!

01/27/2026

Today, we enthusiastically applaud VELA’S 2025-26 Honorarium Awardees (Naim Muhammad, Jared Alonzo , and Yami Rodriquez) who are nearing 2/3 completion of their respective school years at California State University, Fullerton, California State University, Long Beach, and Coachella Valley High School. All three students have demonstrated exemplary progress in their academic studies and outstanding performance regarding their VELA Honorarium Projects.

Naim Muhammad is an actuarial science student at California State University, Fullerton, and committed to maintaining an excellent GPA. Naim has a passion for helping those less fortunate individuals, which is a basis for his interest in helping the homeless both in his school and home community.

Jared Alonzo is a history major at California State University, Long Beach. He is a diligent student, and is fulfilling his community service commitment by teaching Bible Study lessons to those in his church community; with special emphasis on his younger counterparts.

Yami Rodriguez is a student at Coachella Valley High School, where she maintains an outstanding GPA, and is involved in many activities on campus. She passionately carries out her community service responsibilities to help younger children, and acknowledges that while helping others, she experiences a deep sense of personal fulfillment as well.

All of our students have strong spiritual underpinnings, exemplary leadership skills, and a deep regard for others in their communities. VELA Youth Fund is pleased that we could offer motivation and structure to our honorees’ selected projects, and provide ongoing support to all their community service efforts.
Please see appropriate associated pages to hear directly from our 2025-26 esteemed Honorarium Students.

12/05/2025

VELA Youth Fund is very pleased to acknowledge the student reports that were submitted by our three Honorarium Recipients for 2025-26. VELA awarded each student a stipend to apply toward their college tuition for the current school year. In exchange for this financial support, students are required to engage in humanitarian service by helping their younger counterparts and/or “giving back” to their respective communities in some way. Our student reports demonstrate student commitment to the “Each One Reach One/Teach One principle; consistent with VELA’s dedication to youth development through responsible community participation.

We congratulate our 2025-26 Honorarium Students for their community participation, and proudly recognize their service. Reports submitted by each student can be accessed on the following pages:

09/08/2025

VELA Youth Fund is pleased to recognize Mariam Quintero of Mexicali, Mexico for her impressive academic achievement and community interests. VELA strongly endorses the efforts of all young people as they pursue their educational and professional goals. Regardless of background or circumstances, we encourage them to “reach for the stars” as they move along their journey of academic excellence. Ms. Quintero is a great example of ambition and academic excellence, and we applaud her accomplishments. Please learn more about Miriam Quintero on associated pages.

08/25/2025

VELA Youth Fund is proud to announce its Honorarium Awardees for the 2025-26 School Year. This year’s three distinguished student awardees successfully completed VELA’s application process, and strongly embrace the organization’s concept of “giving back" to their communities in a meaningful way. Awarded Honorariums will help each student further their education at an institution of higher learning within Southern California. VELA’s successful 2025-26 Awardees are Jared Alonzo (Long Beach, CA), Obdulia Ortega Rodriguez (Coachella Valley, CA ), and
Naim Muhammad (Desert Hot Springs, CA). Please learn more about these Outstanding Young People on associated pages.